The invention relates to a vertical unload system for an unit load device, comprising a framework, the framework delimiting a cargo space arranged on the ground load deck and the framework comprising an unload deck for unloading shipments out of the unit load device and comprising an elevator. The invention further relates to a method for unloading a unit load device, with said unload system.
A unit load device, often abbreviated as ULD, is a container or pallet used to load luggage, freight, shipments and/or mail on aircrafts. ULDs are preferably used for express shipments to be delivered by said aircrafts, as the ULD allows a larger quantity of cargo, and respectively, shipments to be bundled into a single unit i.e. into the unit load device. The ULD can then be loaded into an aircraft, and respectively, out of an aircraft by specialized motorized means, as known from prior art. Since the shipments are bundled into a single unit this leads to few pieces to load, and respectively, unload to the aircraft and thus saves time and effort.
ULD containers, also referred to as cans or pods, are most often closed containers made of aluminum having at least one door and sometimes built-in refrigeration units.
ULD pallets are often provided with rubbed sheets of aluminum with rims to lock onto so-called cargo net lugs.
The different types of ULDs are standardized, whereby the most common container type is called LD3 having a volume of 4.5 m3. For example, a Boeing 777 can load up to 44 LD3s.
While the loading and unloading of ULDs into and out of aircrafts can be done by various types of motorized means and other sorts of transportation means, making the loading and unloading of the aircraft very economic, the unloading of shipments out of the ULD still has to be done manually, which requires significant time and efforts, and drives the associated costs up. This is especially true if the ULD contains so-called “mixed” shipments, both conveyable shipments as well as forkable shipments, that can only be moved with a lift truck, the unloading of the ULD is a real challenge and even more time consuming and expensive.